Kahran's Paradise

Devimon Appreciation Post

Happy 4th of July everyone and Happy 250th Birthday America 🇺🇸

Their favourite topics include:

Latest annoying thing Dumbledore did.

The marauders are the most annoying people on earth.

How Potter tried to kill himself this week.

Stupid mistake the students made.

I thought it'd be interesting to see whether people who've read Anne McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern series choose different dragons from people who haven't! I feel, depending on whether you know Pern or not, this is a very different question.

With all this hot sunny weather in the UK, you might be wondering about how the plants are responding to these conditions. Join me, Dr. Katia Hougaard, as we explore the connection between purple coloration in Persian Basil (Ocimum basilicum) and exposure to sunlight.

While plants need sunlight in order to perform photosynthesis, plants can get "too much of a good thing" when they are exposed to excessive UV radiation from the sun. In response, plants make red and blue coloured pigments called anthocyanins to protect themselves from DNA damage. These pigments serve as anti-oxidants that protect against oxidative stress caused by free radicals created via UV exposure. Anthocyanins can have a similar anti oxidant function in the human body when a person eats red and purple fruits, vegetables, and herbs as part of a healthy diet.

Stay curious about plants today, and every day!

Moon Joy June may be over, but Moon Joy never dies! NASA’s Artemis missions represent the future of space exploration. We choose to go to the Moon to inspire a new generation of explorers, to prepare for the first crewed missions to Mars, and to make discoveries for the benefit of all. Thank you for sharing your Moon Joy with us — we feel it, too. If you are interested in feeling even more Moon Joy, check out International Observe the Moon Night coming up on Sept. 19, 2026. You can join a community, attend an event, and meet up with other lunar observers.